1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multi-unit connector structured by mounting a plurality of unit connectors receiving terminals in receiving sections of the each unit connector in a connector frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 12A shows an embodiment of a multi-unit connector of the prior art (refer Patent document 1: Japan Patent Published Application No. H10-270115, FIGS. 10, 12)
A multi-unit connector 51 includes a frame 52 made of synthetic resin and a plurality of unit connectors 53 mounted in the frame 52. Each of the unit connectors 53 is structured by a rear housing 54 made of synthetic resin, a front housing 55 engaging with the rear housing 54 slidingly from a front side of the rear housing 54, and terminals 56 received in the front housing 55 and the rear housing 54.
By providing unit connectors 53, various kinds of terminals 56 with different sizes can be received in the frame 52 by small insertion force. Before mounting the unit connector 53 in the frame 52, the front housing 55 may be located so as to cover and protect the terminals 56. When connecting with a mating connector (not shown), the front housing 55 is pushed from a position shown in FIG. 12A in a rearward direction and engaged together with the rear housing 54.
The terminal 56 joined previously with an electric wire (not shown), as a terminal with wire, is inserted into the housings 54, 55 and locked by the lock lance 57 of the rear housing 54. The frame 52 includes a mating-connector receiving section 59 separated by a partition wall 58 for each of the unit connectors 53.
FIG. 13 shows the other embodiment of a multi-unit connector of the prior art (refer Patent document 2: Japan Patent Published Application No. 2002-175851, FIG. 1).
The multi-unit connector 61 includes a connector housing 62 made of synthetic resin, a front holder 64 made of synthetic resin for covering a wide opening 63 at a front end of the connector housing 62, terminals 66 with wire received in a terminal receiving section 65 of the connector housing 62, and a side spacer 67 for double-locking the terminals in the connector housing 62.
The connector housing 62 includes a partition wall 68 separating each of the terminal receiving sections 65, a flexible lock lance 69 for locking the terminal 66, and a rim 71 for positioning a projection 70 at a front end of the terminal 66 by engaging with the projection 70. The front holder 64 has a tapered opening 72 to be inserted a mating terminal of a mating connector (not shown) through the opening. Usually, for ensuring enough terminal locking force when the terminal size is small, a width of the lock lance 69 may be designed to be wide. Accordingly, a size of a hole corresponding to the lock lance 69 at the front end of the connector housing 62 for separating molding dies would be increased. However, by applying the front holder 64, the wide opening 63 at the front of the connector housing 62 can be covered by the front holder 64, and the hole for separating dies can be eliminated.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the front holder 64 is applied at the connector housing 62, in which the female terminals 66 are inserted. A multi-unit connector (not shown) applying a front holder holding a hoot area of a contact tab of a male terminal (not shown) is described in Patent document 3 (Japan Patent Published Application No. H11-86948, FIG. 1).